Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-03-06
THE HoARoeo WEALTH OF INDIA.
How the East Indian Turns Eversthing
He Possesses into Jewelry.

He Possesses into Jeweiry.
Never during its existence has India
been So rich in jewelry rs row. The
people arr always adding "a their stock.
Savings from nearly all sources arc dis
posed of in this way. and these aivlngs
are being constantly made-u.ten at the
expense uf clothing, sometimes at the ex-
pense Of greater neceSSaries of life.
The making and the storing away of
wealth in this form is the national re-
culiarity of this country. 1t il INDUCED
in by all classes of natives. Jewelry is
regarded as the most staple kind Of
wealth. and fortunes are never counted
without estimating the value Of the stock
Of iewelry. II can always lc plcig, or
disposed OF. The market for lis .alc is
never clo-cl and never depressed.
The most ignorant native who wishes
10 sell piece Of icwelry knows it, market
value quit we'll lie can scarcely bc
cheated. Jcwclry forms the greatest
tactor in matrimuny. The most lowly
bride has her strIdlan, which j. often
equal in va!uc To five years income fthe
bridegroom. There is often Il scarcity Of
clothing, sometimes "A scarcity of cooking
pots. generally not particle of furniture,
but nearly always n stock Of jewolry.
The wife that has no iewelry POSSESSES
nothing else; she cannot be robbed. The
family that does not possess jewelry Is
absolutely INDECENT. One of the greatest
boasts Of the jewelry owner is that his
boards cannot he taxed. A man may
own iewelry valued at lakh Of rupees
and paw no income tax. This is source
of great satisfaction. Jewelry yields no
recurring income. but il is priced more
than government paper. "If it never
increases it never diminishcs," is n ma
tional saving. common among men AMI
women alike.
No native marriage. except among the
most impoverished. takes place without a
transfer uf iewrlry, and very frequently
of new jcwclry. So great in value is the
new jewelry that is introduced into new
families by marriage, that we dare not
estimate il. the amount would be so fab
ulous Truly the investment of wealth
in jewelry in India is the greatest and
most remarkable institution in the coun-
try. Every other investment sinks into
insignifcance beside it.
Under no native prince or rajal Of
former times has jewelry accumulated as
it has accumulated under the British
government in British India. For CEN
tury past the Sacking Of towns has been
unknown: the plunder Of individuals has
been greatly restrained, and wealth in the
form Of iewelry has accumulated.
One-half Of the people of India are
jewelry owners. 1t is only when the day
Of taking stock Of the family jewelry
comes round. such as the occasion of
wedding or a great gala day. that q
stranger can form the slightest concep-
ton of the amount of wealth in the FAM
lily in the form Of jewelry, Amazement
at once strikes him as he for the first
time is permitted to see the amount Of
accumulated wealth.
The inventory day is. par excellence.
the women's day. Gathered round the
iron safes, the cash boxes. the metallic
boxes. the neatly carved wooden boxes.
the delight Of the women is observed
IN their eyes as each pair Of golden brace
lets studded with pearls; each pair of
diamond, or emerald. or sapphire ear.
rings. each nose ring with large pearls,
massive gold chains and large number
OF rings; extensively and even extrava-
gantly gemmed, are handed round the
family circle for admiration. And great
Is the family delight.-Advocate Of
India